This invention relates principally to a cleaning fluid that may effectively loosen microbial properties upon a surface, coagulate them by emulsification, and then removes said particles through the cooperation of a slanted pile brush.
Experimentation has shown that humidity upon a surface, as for example the plastic surface of a phonograph record, can serve as a life-support system for microorganisms in addition to the usual dirt particles. Such microbes, especially fungi, produce enzymes in an environment that can render them active enough to be so destructive as to actually etch a glass and plastic surface. When this activity occurs upon a phonograph record, since such records are usually formed from a vinyl resin, they may more easily cause irreversible damage.
Other types of cleaning fluids presently available and in common use usually do not take into consideration of the microbial additions usually accumulated upon material surfaces, and in particular subsurfaces, and in addition, they usually only contain fluid ingredients such as wetting agents and alcohols, principally to provide for wetting of the surface, and then dissolving of the dirt particles. In use, most of these prior fluids while being somewhat effective, usually fail to totally loosen all of the dirt upon the surface to be cleaned, and in particular, any microbes living thereon, and therefore, have a tendency to leave some residue dirt remaining upon the surface even after cleaning. Hence, prior cleaning fluids have a tendency to rearrange dust and dirt particles on the surface being cleaned, rather than lift all of the same from the surface for total cleansing.
In view of the foregoing, it can be stated that previous formulations of micro-surface cleaners have generally ignored the problem of microbial degradation, which provides the base support for formation of damage to the surface, or subsurface, and in addition provides a remaining and residue like oily film which promptly attracts and accumulates other dust and dirt particles immediately even though the surface may have just been cleaned. Many of these cleaning fluids for micro-groove cleansing contain principally surfactants, such as glycerols and glycols alone, which have a tendency to act as intermediates which may even support growth of organisms. Many of these compounds are growth stimulatory to bacteria and fungi, and directly contribute to the sustained life of such organisms particularly in the hard to clean microgrooved subsurfaces. And, those prior cleaners containing un-linked alcohols and/or aldehydes usually react with the plasticizer molecules, such as in records, rendering them undesirably more brittle.
In addition to the foregoing, the instrumentalities that have been heretofore employed for cleansing surfaces of the described nature are usually just cloth like in appearance, and provide little or no assistance in loosening the tightly adhering dirt particles, and even organisms, and usually just shift the dust and dirt that may be adhered thereon. In most instances, commercial cleaning fluids simply advise the user to employ any soft cloth in conjunction with the fluid.
It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a fluid cleaning composition which includes not only a surfactant for enhancing wetting of the surface to be cleaned, but contains in addition, an antimicrobial ingredient, and an emulsifier, so as to both loosen any organisms and provide for their accumulation for ease of removal.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning composition that decontaminates the surface being cleaned.
In addition to the foregoing, another object of this invention is to provide a novel angularly piled brush which both facilitates the loosening of dirt particles from a surface, or subsurface, in addition to providing the means for retention of the loosened dirt, and its effective removal.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a cleaning fluid formulation which removes dirt particles and organisms which have a tendency to deteriorate plastic surfaces.
Other objects will become more apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following description and accompanying drawing.